2018 Honda Accord Press Kit – Overview

First introduced to American car buyers in 1976, the Honda Accord is the second-longest-running automotive nameplate in Honda’s history, after the Honda Civic. Accord has become a household name over nine generations and 42 model years, and since its introduction, American car buyers have purchased more Accords than any other passenger car, with total U.S. sales exceeding 13 million vehicles. The current, ninth-generation, Accord has been the top retail-selling midsize car in America for the past six years (2011-2016).

The Accord was the first automobile from a Japanese automaker to be manufactured in America and has been in continuous production at the company’s Marysville, Ohio auto plant since November 1, 1982, using domestic and globally-sourced parts. Total U.S. Accord production exceeds 11 million units. In 1987, Accord became the first U.S-made automobile from a Japanese automaker to be exported overseas (Accord Sedan to Taiwan).

Accord has also played an important role in advancing low-emissions vehicle technology in America and was the first Honda automobile to meet California’s ULEV,SULEV and SULEV30 emission standards. Accord was Honda’s third hybrid (2005 Accord V6 Hybrid) and first plug-in hybrid (2014 Accord Plug-In Hybrid).

The 2018 Accord is the 10th generation of Honda’s perennially best-selling midsize sedan. All new from the ground up, the new Accord is built on a new platform with a lower, wider stance, a lighter and more rigid unibody structure; a lighter and more sophisticated chassis; three advanced new power units, including Accord’s first-ever turbocharged engines, a new 10-speed automatic transmission and a third-generation two-motor hybrid system.

In recreating Accord for its 10th generation, Honda designers and engineers sought to convey “absolute confidence” in every element of design and performance. Building on the bedrock character of Accord – its outstanding quality, fuel efficiency, packaging and sophisticated driving dynamics – they have imbued the 10th-generation Accord with a new level of emotional appeal and premium quality; an Accord that defies its mainstream midsize sedan status, providing even more refined and engaging performance, a more spacious and upscale interior, and the latest generation of advanced Honda safety, connected-car and driver-assistive technologies.

In summary, the most dramatically styled, premium and fun-to-drive Accord yet.

What’s New?
Virtually everything on the Accord is new and substantially reengineered. Major new engineering features and technologies for the 10th-generation Accord redesign are as follows:

Packaging and Design
In reimagining Accord, designers first established the fundamental packaging strategy. Consistent with the “Man Maximum-Machine Minimum (MM)” design philosophy that underpins all Honda designs, the team shrunk the Accord’s footprint while expanding its interior space, at the same time creating more premium and athletic proportions and stance. The move to 4-cylinder engines across the lineup is a key component of this approach, allowing a shorter engine bay while also reducing weight and improving dynamic performance.

The new Accord has a longer wheelbase (+2.16 inches), a lower overall height (-0.59 in.) and wider body (+0.39 in.), wider wheel tracks (+0.20 in. front, +0.79 in. rear), a shortened overall length (-0.39 in.) and a lower, sportier seating position (-1.0 in. front, -0.79 in. rear). A sweeping greenhouse, positioned farther back on the body, completes the new stance and proportion of the next-generation Accord. The combined effect of these changes is a more premium look, highlighted by shorter overhangs, a bold front fascia, a long and low hood, and a visual center of gravity moved closer to the rear wheels.

Viewed head-on, the new Accord’s greenhouse also angles in more sharply from the window sills to the roof, further emphasizing the wide lower body, while inside the cabin the seats have been moved slightly inward, which contributes to improved hip, shoulder and head room while enhancing occupants’ freedom of movement. Also, the longer wheelbase allowed designers to move the second-row seats substantially rearward, giving Accord 1.9 inches of added rear legroom. Overall passenger volume is increased by 2.5 cubic feet (LX trim) and trunk space, at 16.7 cubic feet on all models and trims, is up 0.9 cubic feet on 1.5-liter and 2.0-liter models and 3.2 cubic feet on the Accord Hybrid, aided by the repackaging of the hybrid battery pack beneath the rear seats.

Elegant and modern exterior detailing compliments the Accord’s new, more dynamic design. The bold and upright front fascia is highlighted by Honda’s signature chrome wing front grille positioned above a large main air intake and flanked by available 9-lamp full-LED headlights and LED fog lights. The chiseled hood features a distinctive and aggressive raised center, and the deeply sculpted body sides enhance the visual length and strength of the lower body.

A new laser brazing process that joins the roof to the body side panels creates a clean exterior appearance with no need for a garnish over the rain channels. The similarly low and wide rear view is finished off with an upswept decklid, distinctive LED light-pipe taillights and available integrated dual exhaust ports. Overall aerodynamic efficiency is improved by approximately 3 percent (based on EX trim) to make it the most streamlined Accord yet.

Elegant and Tech Savvy Cabin
The 2018 Accord also boasts a larger, more premium and tech savvy interior that compliments its athletic and elegant body design, delivering a level of quality and premium feel that belies Accord’s mainstream sedan status.

The new Accord features a panoramic forward view that is enabled by its lower cowl and by front roof pillars that are 20 percent narrower and moved rearward on the lower (and relative to the driver’s seating position). The new soft-touch instrument panel features an ultra-thin profile and three-tier design with a strong upper deck that describes a continuous arc from its outboard section through the side doorsills, giving a sense of strength and visual continuity.

A more intricately contoured sport inspired steering wheel with deep-set thumb rests and available paddle shifters compliment the Accord’s more sophisticated and sporty performance capabilities. Meticulous attention to the tactile and visual quality of surface materials and decorations communicates modernity and soft-spoken elegance throughout the cabin.

The inboard positioning of the seats provides for improved freedom of movement and is complimented by longer, wider and more deeply padded arm rests, front and rear; while the Accord’s newly designed seats feature taller shoulder bolstering for a more premium appearance and improved lateral support. New high-accuracy seat padding with variable firmness improves seating comfort and support. The driver’s seat now has available 12-way power adjustment with height-adjustable lumbar support, and passenger comfort is further enhanced by available new heated and ventilated front seats and by improved rear seat heating with both seat bottom and seat back heating elements.

The tech-savvy and easy-to-use 2018 Accord cabin also features an all-new HMI that includes a7-inch TFT digital driver’s meter and an available new 8-inch Display Audio touchscreen interface with physical volume and tuning knobs. More intuitive, smartphone-like features and functionality including customizable app tiles and home-screen shortcuts, along with available Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™ compatibility and Wi-Fi-enabled over-the-air system updates, further enhance the new Accord.

Turbocharged and Electrified PowertrainsThe 2018 Accord takes an entirely new approach to performance by featuring three advanced new powerplants – two turbocharged 4-cylinder engines and the third generation of Honda’s two-motor hybrid powertrain technology. A new Honda-developed 10-speed automatic transmission (10AT), the first of its kind for a front-wheel-drive car, is paired with the new 2.0-liter engine, and a short-throw 6-speed manual transmission is available for both turbocharged engines in Sport trim.

The new 1.5-liter, 16-valve DOHC direct-injected turbo with dual Variable Timing Control (dual VTC) and VTEC produces a peak of 192 horsepower (SAE net) at 5,500 rpm and 192 lb.-ft. of torque (SAE net) from 1,600 to 5,000 rpm, up from 185 HP (SAE net) at 6,400 rpm and 181 lb.-ft. (SAE net) at 3,900 rpm on the existing normally-aspirated 2.4-liter model. The new 1.5-liter turbo is mated to a Honda continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), or in Sport trim to a CVT or a 6-speed manual transmission (6MT).

The Accord can also be equipped with a new 2.0-liter 16-valve DOHC direct-injected turbo with VTEC® valvetrain and dual VTC, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission or, in Sport trim, to the 10AT or an available 6-speed manual. The new 2.0-liter turbo, sharing much of its design with the 2017 Civic Type R, produces 252 HP (SAE net) at 6,500 rpm and 273 lb.-ft. of torque (SAE Net) from 1,500 to 4,000 rpm, compared to 278 HP (SAE net) at 6,200 rpm and 252 lb.-ft. (SAE net) at 4,900 rpm for the 3.5-liter V6 that it replaces.

The new Accord Hybrid is powered by the 3rd-generation of Honda’s two-motor hybrid technology featuring a 2.0-liter 16-valve DOHC Atkinson cycle engine with greater than 40 percent thermal efficiency, the highest for any mass-produced Honda engine, paired with two electric motors. As before, the Accord two-motor system operates without the need for a conventional automatic transmission. Additionally, a new, more compact intelligent power unit (IPU), containing the hybrid battery pack and its control systems, is now mounted under the rear floor instead of in the trunk, preserving both cargo space (16.7 cu.-ft.) and the flexibility of a 60/40-split and folding rear seat, standard on all Hybrid models and trims.

Body and Chassis DesignThe 2018 Accord’s new body structure is lighter and more rigid, utilizing 29 percent ultra-high-strength steel, the most ever for a mass-produced Honda car. Overall, the new Accord employs 54.2 percent high strength steel (above 440 MPa).

Key body features include the latest generation of Honda’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure with crash stroke front frame, tailor-tempered rear frame members for improved crash-energy absorption, and the extensive use of structural adhesives for increased rigidity, cabin quietness and weight reduction. Total vehicle weight is down between approximately 110 to 176 pounds, depending on trim, while body torsional and bending rigidity are improved 32 and 24 percent, respectively, aiding ride quality, cabin quietness, and dynamic performance.

Mated to the new body is a more sophisticated new chassis design. The 2018 Accord’s chassis is 6-percent lighter than before (not including wheels and tires) and features a new Macpherson strut front suspension with L-shaped aluminum lower arms mounted to an aluminum front subframe. The new setup better isolates and manages varying road inputs, improving handling precision, ride quality and cabin quietness along with outstanding high-speed stability and control. The new, more space-efficient rear suspension is a multi-link design mounted to a more rigid, floating rear subframe. Fluid-filled compliance bushings at all four corners further improve ride comfort and absorption of road irregularities.

Touring trims of Accord also feature, for the first time, an Adaptive Damper System with the ability to adjust shock absorber damping force every 1/500 of a second (0.002 second), using a proprietary Honda control algorithm, providing for a more compliant and controlled ride in all driving situations. The adaptive dampers are tied to a Two-Mode Driving System with Normal and Sport modes that allows the driver to dial-up/down the vehicle’s sporty reflexes depending on the driving environment. The system engages with multiple chassis and drivetrain components, including the new dual-pinion variable-ratio electric power steering (EPS), automatic transmission, drive-by-wire throttle, adaptive dampers and Active Sound Control system, to provide the driver with an expanded range of driving characteristics. An ECON mode is also available that helps improve fuel efficiency by modifying throttle mapping and HVAC operation.

The new Accord has a 10-mm lower center of gravity. The adoption of lighter-weight turbocharged engines and other body design changes reduce the vehicle’s moment of inertia, resulting in crisper turn-in and steering response. All models now have near optimal FWD weight distribution of approximately 60/40 percent front/rear. Accords with the new 2.0-liter VTEC turbo and 10AT check in at approximately 61/39 percent front/rear, a significant improvement versus the current V6 Accord with 6AT.

Along with the first application of structural adhesives to Accord, cabin quietness is further enhanced by a comprehensive sound-insulating package that includes full underbody covers (which also aid aerodynamics), front and rear fender and engine compartment insulators, alloy wheels with Honda-proprietary resonator technology, sound-absorbing carpet, acoustic laminated windshield glass – plus front door acoustic glass on EX and above – and a new, 3-microphone Active Noise Control system. The result is low noise levels with a well-balanced sound quality and a pleasingly sporty engine note.

Accord Models and TrimsWith the application of Honda Sensing™ as standard equipment, the 2018 Accord model and trim lineup is made simpler than before, while also offering customers more choice with the addition of a Touring trim for the 1.5-liter model and a Sport trim for the 2.0-liter model, as well as a new, more affordable base Hybrid trim as well as a new EX trim for the Hybrid.

The 2018 Accord with 1.5-liter turbocharged engine is available in six trims: LX, Sport, EX, EX-L, EX-L Navi and Touring. The 2018 Accord with the 2.0-liter VTEC turbo comes in four trims: Sport, EX-L, EX-L Navi and Touring. The new Accord Hybrid has five trims: Hybrid, EX, EX-L, EX-L Navi and Touring.

Major feature variations by trimSee “Models and Trims” section for complete details

LX/Hybrid
1.5L & Hybrid

Sport1.5L

Sport2.0L

EX1.5L, 2.0L & Hybrid

EX-L1.5L, 2.0L & Hybrid

EX-LN
1.5L, 2.0L & Hybrid

Touring1.5L, 2.0L & Hybrid

Honda Sensing™

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17″ wheels & tires

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19″ wheels & tires

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Paddle shifters1

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Aluminum sport pedals

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LED daytime running lights and LED tail lights

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Digital driver’s meter

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Dual-zone climate control

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8-inch Display Audio with Android Auto™,
Apple CarPlay™

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Power moonroof

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Heated front seats

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12-way power driver’s seat

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60/40-split rear seat

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Blind Spot Information

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HD Radio & SiriusXM

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Remote engine start

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4-way power FR pass seat

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10-speaker premium audio

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Honda satellite-linked navigation system

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Full-LED headlamps

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Adaptive Damper System with Sport Mode

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Head-Up Display

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Wireless device charging

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HondaLink telematics

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Auto phone pairing (NFC)

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Ventilated FR seats

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Noise insulation package

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Accord Manufacturing
All variants of the 2018 Accord are manufactured using domestic and globally-sourced parts at Honda’s Marysville, Ohio auto plant. The company has invested $220 million to further advance quality and efficiency, including the introduction of new technologies and processes such as laser brazing and Honda’s inner frame weld body construction process — the latter involving the creation of an all-new $165 million weld department.

The 2018 Accord’s 1.5-liter turbo and 2.0-liter turbo engines are produced at the Anna, Ohio engine plant using domestic and globally-sourced parts, Honda’s highest volume engine plant globally. Its CVT transmission is manufactured at the company’s Russells Point, Ohio plant using domestic and globally-sourced parts and its new Honda-designed 10-speed automatic transmission is being produced at the company’s Tallapoosa, Georgia plant using domestic and globally-sourced parts. Honda has invested $47 at the Anna Engine Plant for Accord engine production and a combined $149 million in its Russells Point and Tallapoosa transmission plants to facilitate production of the new 10AT for multiple models, beginning with the 2018 Odyssey and now including the 2018 Accord.